Hi! I’m Chris. I work in the Weston College Marketing department as an apprentice. I’m eighteen and I am loving my apprenticeship. For National Apprenticeship Week, I’m going to be talking about the exciting benefits of being an apprentice. 

I started my apprenticeship back in early September after successfully making it to interview and then completing the interview process. On the first day I was very nervous, I hadn’t worked in an office environment before but my mind was soon put to ease as everyone was really friendly and offered any help and support that I needed. It was exciting to meet my team and they are always there to give me any guidance I require which helped me to settle in quickly and make friends. 

One reason that I decided to become an apprentice was because I was excited by the opportunities that I could get within my company that I could use to kick-start my career. More and more companies are valuing real world experience and an apprenticeship is the perfect way to get this while still learning new skills and techniques through my College course. I was worried about the cost of university and so I began to look into alternatives. I found with apprenticeships that instead of paying to learn (and racking up a worrying debt) I could earn a salary and have my course paid for at the same time by getting an apprenticeship.

Some of the highlights of my apprenticeship so far have been the events that I have helped to organise. These are quite difficult to get right as you have to be very careful to not miss anything since often, quite a small problem can make a whole event go wrong! However, when the event is done it is very satisfying to know that I have done well. Some of the skills that I have learnt include professional writing, effective administration among many others. These skills have enabled me to become more involved in team activities. Professional writing has boosted my communication skills and administration has enabled me to help my team with fundamental aspects of marketing. Since I am hoping for a career in marketing, this is vital life experience that I can use to gain employment in the future.

I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who is looking to boost their chances for the future! They combine real world experience seamlessly with an excellent College course. I find that learning on your feet in a true work environment is the best way to gain practical experience that can then be applied in a business context. Some of the incredible experiences that I have gained include business fairs, planning my own events and I have many more planned for the future. Apprenticeships are a great way to get on the job ladder with a wide range of local and national companies pledging to hire. 
 

It's the Royal Wedding this weekend (although you probably knew that by now)!

Students at our Hair and Beauty Centre have been putting together their favourite wedding hairstyles, that'll look great regardless of whether you’re the bride or a guest!

Read on to find out more...

Weston College has been selected to pioneer an innovative approach to adult learning.

Thanks to an award from the government’s Flexible Learning Fund, the College will launch a unique range of digital courses that enable adults to learn alongside other commitments.

The courses, which are designed for people who are unable to study full-time, will be launched in January 2019.

Learners can study the courses outside of regular working hours through a mixture of face-to-face and online training sessions.

The new courses include:

•  Investigating Enterprise Skills, Level 2 Award
•  An Introduction to Leadership and Management, Level 2 Award
•  Autism Awareness, Level 2 Award
•  Customer Service in a Health and Social Care Settings, Level 2 Certificate
•  Maintaining a Tenancy, Entry Level 3 Award
•  IT User Skills, Level 1 Certificate

These courses are free for adults that meet the eligibility criteria.

Anne Milton, Apprenticeship and Skills Minister, said: “These projects are an opportunity for people to get the skills they need to kick-start their working life.

“I’m really excited about these projects, which will help people learn the skills they need to grow and succeed in lots of different jobs.

“Whether working already or returning to work, it can be difficult for people to fit training around their busy lives. This funding aims to find out how providers and employers can work together to better meet the needs of adults of all ages, who want the opportunity to learn important new skills and change their lives.”

For more information, please click here.